Dimensional Transit Drive
"I used to lay on my back at home and pick out shapes in the clouds. There was a Dagget, that one looked like a Wooly Herdbeast. Now When it's quiet I sit up here on the bridge and pick out shapes in the Hypserspace maelstrom. That one looks like a Pak'ra Rat, that one looks like a spider..." "Well your 'Spider' seems to be on a intercept course and getting closer, So much for it being quiet." ~Navigator and First Officer of the YMT "Last laugh" ---- What it is Most advanced Physicists theorize, or discover that there are multiple dimensions that interlace with our own relatively. Various names are given to these alternate dimensional spaces, the most common being Hyperspace, or Quantum-space. These interlaced dimensions tend to operate on a way where distance, or time is perceptually different within them than it is in physical spacetime. Meaning that the same amount of force exerted that would move a ship a kilometer in normal space moves the ship to a point that correlates to a light year or more distant in the dimensional space. The dimensional transit drive opens a gateway into this dimensional space, which the vessel then enters. Exiting normal space and following a course in dimensional space till they reach a corresponding location for their destination, where they open another portal and emerge back into "normal" space. Due to the differences in dimensional makeup a straight line course from one point to another may not always work the same way setting course in realspace does. To assist with this numerous races who use dimensional transit drives set up beacons or navigational points that work like a guidance system in the dimension allowing to navigate from one point to another. There are ways to navigate without the beacon systems, some ships do it all the time. Forging new paths and exploring systems that aren't on the charts. Sometimes using complex algorithms to determine the exit point in correlation to where they are currently located. Though usually despite the type of transit drive or intersecting dimensional space most major planetary systems are going to be marked or in some way set up with beacons to allow transit to and from their location. ---- Benefits and Drawbacks The benefits of Dimensional transit, other than the obvious that you are able to subvert light speed limitations, include being able to alter one's destination course or completely reverse it while in transit. Your speed of traversing from point to point is limited by the type of drive one uses as well as the added benefit of being able to send and receive transmissions along dimensional space similarly as if you were in realspace. In fact a great deal of interstellar communications take place through dimensional space relays making use of the same technology that makes travel faster to improve communications. The primary drawback is if your ship looses power or is damaged while in transit, or if one willingly navigates off a beacon route to strike out for parts unknown, they could become lost among the dimensional space and not be found or have a way to make their way back to known space. Also traversing dimensions can be hazardous, requires gateway generation and in many cases a great deal of power for transit to and from. Various anomalies may cause portals to fail to work, or destabilize. Generally anything that creates a doorway from one dimensional space to another is going to run a slight risk, though not really any moreso over the long run than piloting a gravcar.